Electric switch



Makch z, 1926. 1,575,179

R. H. CLLEY ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Dec. 4. 1923 INVENTOR- BY j'T%MLMWATTORNEYS,

rm Mir. 2,1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BLYIQND 11. out, or SYRACUSE, new YORK, assrenon r excess-ms c0)!- rm,or smousn, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

anaemic swrrcn.

, Application filed December 4, 1923. Serial m; 678,549.

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Syracuse, in thecounty of Onondaga and 1 State of New York, have invented a certain newand useful Electric. Switch, "of which the following is a s ecification.

This invention re ates to electric switches,

j and has for its object .a particularly simple claimed.

and eificient switch or. mechanism thereof, by which the switch arm orarms are not only brought into and out ofengagement with the switchcontacts by a quick break action, but are also brought into and out ofengagement with the contacts and espe cially into engagement therein bya wiping movement, whereby the contacting surlaces are cleaned.

This invention consists in the novel features and in the combinationsand in the constructions hereinafterv set forth and In describing thisinvention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which likecharacters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Fi re 1 is a vertical sectional view of a switc embodying my invention,the casing or housing being also shown.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the switch and housing, the other partsbeing omitted.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view partly in elevation of parts shownin Figure 2. Fi re 4 is in inverted plan view of parts seen 111 Fig. 1.

This swltch comprises generally. a base having a switch contact orcontacts thereon,

an o crating member movable relatively to the uise, comprising an arm orarms mounted to move into and out of on agement with the contact orcontacts, an also movably laterally to have a wiping effect onthecontacts as the switch arms move into I so ' rection or are springmetal so that the .-and out of engagement with the contacts especiallyout of engagement, an operating member movable relatively to the switcvmember, and connections operated by the operating member for moving theswitch member and said-arms. The switch arms are preferably springpressed in one dispring is inherent therein, presses them latorally inone direction, and such springalso moves the switch member toward andfrom the contacts with'a snap action, after the.

being the end faces of conductors or 'ing comprising a recess 11 openingthrough spring arms have been tensioned 'by the switch member is movablelengthwise of the operating member and reversely relatively thereto. Theswitch arm-"or "arms extend lengthwise of the operating member towardthe base.

1 designates the base which is formed of suitable insulating material, 2are the contacts mounted on the base, these contlacts u 3, extendingthrough the base and chi here shown as having binding screws 4 at theirouter or lower ends.

5 is the operating member here shown as a rod slidable through in apassage 6,,in the base between the contacts 2, and having a stem 7provided with. a knob or handle 8 at its upper end. The stem extendsthrough a neck 9 of a suitable housing 10, the housone end ofthehousing. The base is fitted within the openend of the 'housin and as thebase 1 is cylindrical in form, tie recess 11 is. cylindrical at least atits open end.

A suitable linin 12 of insulation is fitted. within the housing aroundswitch mechanlsm. i

This housing is here shown as formed.

with a base flange 13, by means of which it is mounted upon a support asfor instance an outlet box, it being'secured to the outlet box or thesupport by screws extending through openings i l-in the base flange. Thebase is secured in position by laterally ex tending the base flange 14cand secured-thereto by screws extending through'holes in the theseflange and threading into the holes 16 in the The stem 7 of theoperating member 5 also Wt The switch member here illustrated ismounted. to slide lengthwise ct the operat ing member 5 reverselyrelatively thereto, so that when the operating member moves down thensuch member moves in thereverse direction or upwardly, The switch mem 60the base, and is slidably mounted, efn'dthe lugs 15, lapping the lowerface of ber comprises spring arms 18 extending in a general directionlengthwise of the operating member toward the base 1.

The switch member here shown comprises one or more plates 20, 21 havingopenings therein for the operating member 5, the part of theoperatingmember along which the switch member slides being non-circularor square, the holes in the plates are also non-circular or square. Theplate 20 is of metal and the other plate 21 is usually of insulatingmaterial. Each switch arm 18 is in the general form of a bow spring andthe tension of the spring arms tends to move the.w free ends thereofifiwafdly toward the operating member 5. Each arm spring is formed witha contact or foot 23 at the lower end for engagement with the contact 2.The switch arms 18 are usually formed from a single piece of metal, theintermedi ate part of which is clamped between the plates 20' and 21,and provided with a hole through which the operating member extends. i 7

The connections operated by the operating member 5 comprise links 24pivoted at like ends at 25 to the operating member 5, and at the otheror outer ends to the switch arms 18, the outer ends being usually in theform of pins extending radially through rollers'26 which fit insockets27 formed in the arms 18, the pins extending through slots in thesockets.

The operating member is usually formed with a lengthwise slot 28 andthe'inner ends of these links extend into the slot.

During downward movement of the member 5 the joint 25 of the links aremoved downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1, to that shown inFig. 2, and first press the arms 18 outwardly and when the ends of thearms pass the dead center line of the links,

a that is a straight line passingthrough the pivots 25, 26, the switchwill snap upwardly with a quick action owing to the resiliency of themembers 18. During upward movement of the member 5 the switch arms arespread apart until the links passthrough'the dead center line when thearms are moved downwardly and inwardly with a ma action to engage thecontacts .2, the 'feet W1 ing on such contacts, and so doing ma e a Iperfect contact.

What I claim is: L In a switch, the co" having. a contact thereon, aswitch arm mounted to. shift toward and from th'base into and out ofengagement the contact, the switch arm havlng a portlon with thecontact, and an operating member movable in a direction substantiallyparallel lel to the operating member and having ination of a base limitsof means arm has a wiping movement on the contact,

the operating member being movable in a general direction parallel withthe switch arm, and connections between the operatin member and theswitch arms to eflect suc movements. Y

3. In a switch, the combination of a base, a contact thereon, a switcharm and an operating member, the switch arm being mounted to moverectilinearly toward and from the base into and out of engagement withthe contact, and the switch arm extending paralan engaging end movablelaterally relatively to its rectilinear movement, whereby the switch armhas a wiping movement on the contact, the operating member being movablein a general direction parallel with the switch arm, and connectionsbetween the operating 8 member and the switch arm to effect suchmovements, such connections comprising a link pivotedat one end to theoperating member and extending laterally therefrom, and pivotallyconnected at its other end to the switch arm.

' 4. In a switch, the combination of a base, a contact thereon, a switchmember movable rectilinearly toward and from the base, and comprising aswitch arm having a lateral movement. relative to the rectilinearmovement, whereby the switch arm has a wiping engagement with thecontact, an operating member movable in a direction parallel to theswitch member, the switch member being slidably mounted on the operatingmember, and connections between the operating member and the switch armto efi'ect such movements of the switch member and the switch arm;

' 5. In a switch, the combination of a base,

comprising an arm havin a lateral movement relative to the reels earmovement,

slidably mounted on the operating member,

and connections between the operating I ll'o ber and the switch armtoefiect such movethe switch and arm,

' a contact thereon, a switch member movable rectilinearly toward andfrom the base and a contact thereon, a switch member movablerectilinearly toward and from the base, and comprising a switch armhaving a lateral "movement relative to the rectilinear movement, wherebythe switch arm has a wiping engagement withthe contactsg an operatingmember movable in a direction parallel to the switch member, the switchmember being slidably mounted on the operating member, and connectionsbetween the operating member and the switch arm to effect such movements of the switch member, such connec-- tions being arranged to movethe switch arm reversely relatively to the operating member,

, and comprising a link pivoted at one end to the operating member andat its'other end to the switch arm.

7. .In a' switch,the combination of a base having a contact therein, aswitch arm mounted to move toward and from the base into and out ofengagement with the contact,

the switch arm being spring-pressed and tensioned to have a lateralmovement relatively slidably mounted on to its movement toward and fromthe base, whereby'the switch arm has a wiping engagement with thecontact, and operating member, and connection between the operatingmember and the switch arm to effect such movement and tension the springpressed portion.

8. In a switch, the combination of a base, a contact thereon, a switchmember movable rectilinearly toward and from the base and comprising aswitch arm provided with a spring pressed portion having a lateral move-.ment relative to the rectilinear movement, whereby the switch arm. hasa wiping engagement with the contacts, an operating member movable in adirection parallel to the switch member, the switch member being theoperating member, and connections between the operating member and theswitch arm to efiect such movements of the switch member, and said am,such connections comprising a link pivoted at one end to the operatingmember and at its other end to the switch arm.

9. In a switch, the combination of a reciprocally movable operatingmember movable at an angle to the base, a switch member slidablelengthwise of the operating member, and comprising a switch arm ca ableof movement laterally relatively to tiie a base,

operating member and connections 0 erated by the operating member formoving the switch member into and out of engagement with the contact andalso to move the switch arm laterally whereby the switch arm has awiping "engagement 'with the contact.

10. In a switch, the combination of a base, a reciprocally movableoperating member movable at an angle to the base, a switch membermovable lengthwise of the operatin member and reversely relativelythereto, an comprising a laterally movable switch arm supported andconnections operated by the operating member for moving the switchmember toward and from the contact and also moving the switch armlaterally, whereby the switch arm moves into and out of engagement withthe contact with a wiping movement.

11. In a switch, the combination of a base, an operating memberreciprocally slidable relatively to the base at an angle thereto, a

switch member slidable lengthwise of the operating member and com risingresilient switch arms extending lengthwise thereof toward the base andbeing movable laterally relatively to the operating member and linkspivoted at like-ends to the'operating member and at their other ends tosaid arms.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto, si ed m name, at S cuse,-in thecounty 0' Onon a and in t e State of New York,

' this15th day of November, 1923.

I RAYMOND H. OLLEY.

